Columns

A story was brought to my attention recently, and I want to do everything in my power to make sure that this does not happen in Indiana. A few weeks ago, a student at Arizona State University was put in a wheelchair and left in the emergency room lobby with nothing but a post-it note saying “I’ve been drinking, and I need some help.”

The “longest days” of the year are upon us and if there’s any time to venture out super-early in the morning, it’s mid-June. These early weeks of summer, well, late spring, technically, bring the most hours of sunlight and too many people sleep away the overtime Mother Nature gives to us.

Summer weather has finally arrived in Indiana, making my travels throughout the district even more enjoyable. Nothing beats being in the outdoors with my family, going fishing with my boys or playing ball.

I was driving recently and realized I had forgotten to put my new insurance card in my wallet, which is a necessary driving accompaniment since Indiana requires Hoosier residents to have insurance for their vehicle.

For kids who couldn’t yet spell tradition, we considered it a holy rite that had to be upheld at all costs. It was quite literally, a movable feast — it happened on our school bus every spring — auspiciously enough, on the ride home of the last day of school.

Looking back, it was the mother of all battles, water battles that is. It was sixth grader vs. sophomore, neighbor against neighbor and brother battling brother.

The Marvel comic book movies truly began with “Iron Man” back in 2008. That film not only introduced us to billionaire playboy-turned-hero Tony Stark, but also kicked off a series of films that would culminate with “The Avengers,” last year’s hugely successful superhero team-up movie.

At least two more dead armadillos were found in Perry County over the past week, one north of Perry Central and the second near Troy. I was sent photos of both animals and they both were near highways and appeared to have been run over.

Guest Column by Cheryl Greenwell, Tell City Postmaster and Rebecca Fenn, United Way of Perry County Executive Director

On behalf of the National Association of Letter Carriers and the local food pantries of Perry County, we would like to thank the residents of Perry County for supporting the National Association of Letter Carriers “Stamp Out Hunger” Food Drive May 11.

If only the driver had seen the turtle sooner. I was driving to Rockport last week when I saw a car crush and kill a box turtle. I saw the passenger reach over and thump the driver in the head, not violently, but certainly in protest to what had happened.

The cool spring has finally ushered in May flowers. I love cut flowers from the garden. There is a simple, happy satisfaction that comes from picking a bundle of peonies for the kitchen work table. Just be sure to shake the ants off first. The other thing about a cool spring with adequate rainfall is that the weather is acting as a sort of preservative: all those beautiful blooms are lasting much longer than normal.

Advances in cancer treatment are saving lives and cutting health-care costs. But because many health-insurance plans haven’t caught up with the times, nearly half of all cancer patients are forced to choose between the treatment that could save their lives – or one that's paid for.